The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and German automobile manufacturer BMW have announced that the popular luxury car company is recalling approximately 45,500 7-Series vehicles due to a potentially serious transmission manufacturing defect. According to the NHTSA, BMW 7-Series vehicles that were built and sold between 2005 and 2008 could be subject to a transmission control issue that is caused by the automobile’s keyless ignition system. Apparently the start/stop button can malfunction, causing a vehicle that should be in parked mode to suddenly shift into neutral. This could obviously lead to a vehicle rolling away, which could cause serious property damage or injuries to innocent bystanders if struck by the automobiles. Additionally, anyone who might still be in the vehicle could be hurt as well.
So far, 14 crashes have been reported to the NHTSA, including 5 allegedly resulting in injuries. This specific situation with the BMW 7-Series vehicles has been at the core of an investigation for the past year, as there had been at least 50 complaints filed with the NHTSA for a much wider spectrum of 7-Series vehicles, ranging from 2002 to 2008. However, after the investigation was completed, it was determined that the number in question was 45,500.
BMW will officially begin the recall next week, and customer service representatives will begin contacting drivers and consumers who may have been affected by this recall. According to the recall information provided by the NHTSA, the models involved include the 2005 BMW 745I, 2005 BMW 745LI, 2006-2008 BMW 750I, 2006-2008 BMW 750LI, 2005-2006 BMW 760I and the 2005-2008 BMW 760LI. In the meantime, drivers can contact the company directly at (800) 525-7417 or email customerrelations@bmwusa.com for additional recall information, as well as the NHTSA at (888) 327-4236.